Refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the making and crushing of ice cubes in a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit having a manufacturing unit for the making of ice cubes as well as having a crusher for the crushing of the ice cubes made in the manufacturing unit, with the manufacturing unit and the crusher being arranged in a common assembly.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the making of ice cubes and for the crushing in a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit as well as to a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit having at least one such apparatus.

It is known from the prior art to arrange an ice cube dispenser at the walls or at the top of a freezer unit, for example. It is furthermore known to provide a so-called crusher by means of which the ice cubes can be crushed. In arrangements known from the prior art, the ice cube dispenser is arranged independently of the crusher in the appliance space, which brings along the disadvantage that the arrangement requires a lot of space overall, whereby a correspondingly large amount of useful capacity is lost. Apart from this, the installation effort is comparatively high in these solutions known from the prior art.

It is therefore the underlying object of the present invention to further develop an apparatus of the initially named kind such that it takes up less space and can be installed in a simple manner.

This object is solved by an apparatus having the features of claim 1. It is accordingly provided that the manufacturing unit for the making of ice cubes and also the crusher for the crushing of the ice cubes made in the manufacturing unit are arranged in a common assembly. An assembly of modular structure is preferably present which has the function of making ice cubes and crushing them.

The assembly can be installed with small adaptations or without adaptations into different units. As a result of its structure, it does not necessarily have to be placed at the top or at the walls of the inner space of the unit; it is rather possible to arrange it at any desired position in the inner unit space due to the integration of the manufacturing unit into the assembly.

Provision is preferably made for the apparatus or the assembly to be able to be arranged in a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit without the help of tools. It is conceivable to design the apparatus such that it can be installed without screws.

Comparatively little useful capacity is lost due to the compact structure of the assembly.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention for the assembly to have conveying means which are made and arranged such that the ice cubes are conveyed from the manufacturing unit to the crusher.

Furthermore, a container, in particular a trough, is preferably provided for the reception of the ice cubes made in the manufacturing unit. In this connection, the conveying means are preferably arranged such that they convey the ice cubes disposed in the trough or in the container to the crusher.

The assembly can furthermore have a safety switch which is made such that it interrupts the power supply to the crusher in at least one switch position. In this embodiment of the invention, the ice cube maker, the safety switch and the crusher as well as optionally also the conveying means are located in one assembly.

The conveying means can be a conveyor screw or a conveyor spiral driven by means of a motor. Provision is preferably made for the conveyor screw or conveyor spiral to have a helix and for the spacing of the first spiral from the end of the spiral to lie in the range between 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range between 20 mm to 30 mm.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention for the conveyor screw or conveyor spiral to have a helix whose pitch lies in the range between 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range from 20 mm to 30 mm.

A good crushing result is in particular obtained when the crusher includes a plurality of blades, preferably four blades. In this case, the small twist-tray ice cubes can also be easily crushed.

It is preferred for the manufacturing unit to be arranged above the crusher. If the manufacturing unit is arranged above the container and/or above the conveyor unit, the ice cubes made can fall from the manufacturing unit into the container and can be conveyed from there to the crusher by means of the named conveyor unit.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention for a support to be connected to the assembly for the installation of the assembly in the inner container of a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit. It is, for example, conceivable that the assembly is supported at the side wall, at the rear wall and also at the support. This is favorable to the extent that the forces are taken up where they arise.

The securing of the assembly in the inner container can take place, for example, by a simple latching which fixes the assembly to a side wall and/or to the rear wall of a unit.

Provision is made in a preferred embodiment for the support to be releasably connected to the assembly.

It is conceivable to fix the support to the assembly by a latch connection.

Provision can furthermore be made for the assembly to have holding means for the fixing of a storage tray arranged in the region beside the assembly. The area beside the assembly can by utilized as a storage area due to this structure.

It is also conceivable for the assembly to have holding means for the fixing of a storage tray arranged on the assembly or for the upper side of the assembly to be made as a support surface. In this case, the upper region or the upper side of the assembly can be made as a storage surface.

The invention further relates to a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit having an apparatus in accordance with one of the claims 1 to 16.

Provision is made in a preferred embodiment of the invention for the apparatus to be received in the inner space of the unit such that it contacts the side wall and/or the rear wall of the inner space or of the inner container and is preferably secured there.

If the assembly is connected to a support, provision can be made for the support to extend below and/or above the assembly and to lie on projections or in cut-outs of the inner space of the unit.

Provision is preferably made for the support to be located in the front region of the assembly.

Provision is made in a further embodiment of the invention for the apparatus to be narrower than the width of the inner space of the unit and for at least one storage tray to extend in the region beside the apparatus.

The space above the assembly can furthermore also be utilized. It is, for example, conceivable that a storage surface or a drawer is located there.

Provision is made in a further preferred embodiment of the invention for a dispensing unit to be located in the door of the unit which is in communication with the apparatus when the door is closed such that the ice cubes made in the apparatus and/or ice cubes crushed by means of the apparatus can be dispensed to the user. The dispenser unit naturally does not have to be restricted to the dispensing of crushed or non-crushed ice cubes. It is also conceivable, for example, to dispense water or other goods or liquids by means of the dispenser unit.

Further details and advantages of the invention will be explained with reference to an embodiment shown in more detail in the drawing. There are shown:

FIG. 1: a perspective view of the assembly in a sectioned representation;

FIG. 2: a perspective representation of the assembly in the inserted state without a cover strip;

FIG. 3: a perspective representation of the collection trough with a conveyor spiral and a crusher in the cut-away state;

FIG. 4: a perspective representation of the assembly in the inserted state with a storage tray located beside the assembly; and

FIG. 5: an arrangement in accordance with FIG. 4 with a drawer provided above the assembly.

FIG. 1 shows the assembly 100 In accordance with the present invention in a perspective representation. The assembly 100 has a housing in whose upper region the ice cube maker, that is the manufacturing unit 10, is located. The ice cube maker is in communication with a water connection not shown in any more detail.

The container 30 which is made as a collection trough and in which the conveyor spiral 60 is arranged is located below the ice cube maker 10. The latter is driven by the motor 50 which is likewise a component of the assembly.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the conveyor spiral 60 is located in the region of the container 30 and, in operation of the motor 50, conveys the ice cubes which have fallen from the manufacturing unit 10 or which are located in the container 30 to the crusher 20. The crusher 20 is located in the end region of the assembly 100 at the front, that is, directed toward the operator, and is formed by four blades 22. An opening is located below the crusher 20 through which the crushed ice cubes fall.

A safety switch is marked by the reference numeral 40 and ensures that the crusher is switched currentless when the door or flap of the unit is open.

A magnetic switch for crushed ice or for ice cubes can furthermore be provided.

The dispensing of ice cubes or the dispensing of crushed ice cubes can be realized selectively depending on the wishes of the operator by means of the assembly shown in FIG. 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the present embodiment relates to an assembly having an integrated safety switch, having an integrated manufacturing unit and having an integrated conveying unit and crusher. The ice cube maker, the named safety switch and also the crush conveyor unit are thus located in a common module.

The unit shown in FIG. 1 can be placed in any desired construction in the unit. It is conceivable for the assembly 100 shown in FIG. 1 to be able to be introduced into a standard inner container and to be able to be arranged there without additional foamed parts and fastening parts being required in the inner container. In a preferred embodiment, the inner container thus does not differ between units in which the assembly is inserted and units which do not have such an assembly.

The assembly is closed to the front by the cover strip 90.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the support 110 which is made as a traverse and by means of which the assembly 100 is suspended is located in the upper front third of the assembly 100.

This state can be seen from FIG. 2. The inner container of a freezer with a width e.g. of 60 cm is shown with the reference numeral 200 in FIG. 2. As is marked by the arrows arranged at the bottom, the assembly 100 is positioned in this embodiment such that it is supported at the rear wall 204 as well as at the side wall 202 of the inner container 200. The assembly 100 is furthermore arranged at the transversely extending support 110 which for its part lies on projections 206 of the inner container in its end regions. These projections 206 can be projecting ribs on which storage trays are usually positioned.

The cover strip shown with the reference numeral 90 in FIG. 1 is shown in FIG. 2 to illustrate the arrangement of the components, that is, of the upwardly arranged ice cube maker as the manufacturing unit and the crusher arranged thereunder.

It is conceivable to secure the assembly shown in FIG. 2 in that a latching takes place on both sides or at least on one side, as is shown by the slantingly extending arrow in FIG. 2. The support 110 can be latched to the assembly 100 before the installation of the assembly 100 into the inner container 200.

The support 110 is preferably arranged releasably at the assembly 100. This makes it possible for the assembly also to be able to be inserted without modification into units without different inner widths by the use of a longer or shorter support which is preferably made as an extruded part. Low investment costs thus arise for unit variants.

The assembly 100 preferably consists mainly of injection molded parts.

FIG. 3 again shows in an enlarged representation the container 30 with the conveyor spiral 60 arranged therein which is made as a helix. In the embodiment shown here, the pitch of the helix amounts to approximately 23 mm and the spacing between the start of the helix and the first spiral marked by the two vertical lines in FIG. 3 amounts to approximately 27 mm.

The crusher shown at the right can likewise be recognized from FIG. 3 in which four fixed blades 22 are used which have an optimized blade spacing of approximately 4 mm.

FIG. 4 shows the assembly 100 inserted into the inner container of a freezer. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a storage tray 120 is located in the region beside the assembly 100. Said storage tray is supported, on the one hand, on a rib of the inner container and, on the other hand, on a projection or in a groove of the assembly 100.

FIG. 5 shows the arrangement in accordance with FIG. 4 with a drawer 300 additionally arranged above the assembly 100.

Little useful capacity of the unit is lost due to the compact structure of the assembly. The integration of the ice cube maker into the assembly makes it possible for the assembly to be able to be inserted largely at any desired position in the unit.

The assembly is preferably made such that it can be installed into other units without any, or with only slight, modifications.

The installation effort is correspondingly low due to the integration of the two named components of manufacturing unit and crusher and, optionally further component members into the assembly.

In the embodiment shown, the assembly of modular structure can make, store, convey and crush ice cubes. 

1. An apparatus for the making and crushing of ice cubes in a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit having a manufacturing unit (10) for the making of ice cubes as well as having a crusher (20) for the crushing of the ice cubes made in the manufacturing unit (10), with the manufacturing unit (10) and the crusher (20) being arranged in a common assembly (100).
 2. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein conveying means are furthermore received in the assembly (100) and are made and arranged such that the ice cubes are conveyed from the manufacturing unit (10) to the crusher (20).
 3. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the assembly (100) furthermore has a container (30), in particular a trough, for the reception of the ice cubes made in the manufacturing unit (10).
 4. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the assembly (100) has a safety switch (40) which is made such that it interrupts the power supply to the crusher (20) in at least one switch position.
 5. An apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein the conveying means include a conveyor screw or conveyor spiral (60) driven by means of a motor (50).
 6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein the conveyor screw or conveyor spiral (60) has a helix; and the spacing of the first spiral from the crusher (30) is in the range from 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range from 20 mm to 30 mm.
 7. An apparatus in accordance with either of claim 5, wherein the conveyor screw or conveyor spiral (60) has a helix whose pitch is in the range between 10 to 40 mm, preferably in the range from 20 mm to 30 mm.
 8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the conveyor means are arranged such that they convey the ice cubes from the container (30) to the crusher (20).
 9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the crusher (20) has a plurality of blades (22) which are arranged at a spacing of 3 to 5 mm, preferably at a spacing of 4 mm.
 10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the crusher (20) has a plurality of blades (22), preferably 4 blades.
 11. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the manufacturing unit (10) is arrange directly above or offset and above the crusher (20).
 12. An apparatus in accordance with claim 3, wherein the manufacturing unit (10) is arranged above the container (30) and/or above the conveyor unit.
 13. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein a support (110) for the installation of the assembly (100) is connected to the assembly (100) in a refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit.
 14. An apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the support (110) is releasably connected to the assembly (100).
 15. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the assembly (100) has holding means for the fixing of a storage tray (120) arranged in the region beside the assembly (100).
 16. An apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the assembly (100) has holding means for the fixing of a storage tray arranged on the assembly; or the upper side of the assembly is made as a storage area.
 17. A refrigerator unit and/or a freezer unit having at least one apparatus in accordance with claim
 1. 18. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein the apparatus is received in the inner space of the unit such that it contacts the side wall (202) and/or the rear wall (204) of the inner container (200) and is secured there.
 19. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit having at least one apparatus in accordance with claim 13, wherein the support (110) lies on projections (206) or in cut-outs of the inner space (200) of the unit.
 20. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 19, wherein the support (110) is arranged in the region directed toward the front side of the apparatus.
 21. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein the apparatus is narrower than the width of the inner space (200) of the unit; and at least one storage tray (120) extends in the region beside the apparatus.
 22. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance with claim 17, wherein a drawer (300) is located directly above the apparatus.
 23. A refrigerator unit and/or freezer unit in accordance claim 17, wherein a dispensing unit is located in the door of the unit which is in communication with the apparatus when the door is closed such that the ice cubes made in the apparatus and/or the crushed ice cubes can be dispensed to the user. 